ASCF: Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers
Closed: enrollment ended August 7, 2026
ASCF is a one-time bridge program for specialty crops, sugar, and other commodities not covered by FBA — now funded at $1.625 billion. FSA published per-crop payment rates and opened enrollment on June 1. Enrollment closed at close of business August 7, 2026 — FSA announced no extension, and the program is no longer accepting applications.
Enrollment ran from June 1 online through Login.gov, and June 8 at FSA county offices. Payment was based on reported 2025 acres. If you applied before the deadline, your local FSA office can tell you where your application stands.
Last Updated: September 2026 | Source: USDA-FSA press releases, CALT Iowa State
This is a free guide, not financial or legal advice. Always verify with your local USDA office. Report an error
The Short Version
ASCF is the specialty-crop companion to FBA. It’s a one-time $1 billion program authorized by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, designed to help specialty crop producers who were excluded from FBA’s row-crop list. The eligible crop list is long — more than 100 crops from almonds through watermelons, plus sugar — and also covers nursery stock, floriculture, herbs, mushrooms, coffee, and cacao.
ASCF has two steps. Step 1: have your 2025 FSA-578 acreage report on file for eligible crops (the reporting deadline was April 24, 2026). Step 2 (now): apply for payment. FSA has published per-crop rates, and enrollment runs through August 7, 2026.
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Who runs it | USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) |
| Authorizing law | One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), 2025 |
| Appropriation | $1.625 billion |
| Covered crop year | 2025 planted acres only |
| Acreage reporting deadline | Was April 24, 2026 — your 2025 acres must be on file |
| Per-acre payment rates | Up to $650 (Tier 1), $225 (Tier 2), $65 (Tier 3); beans & peas up to $25 — by crop revenue |
| Enrollment | Closed — ran June 1 (Login.gov) / June 8 (FSA offices) through August 7, 2026 |
| Application deadline | Was August 7, 2026 — window closed |
| Payment cap & AGI limit | $250,000 per producer; $900,000 AGI limit (standard FSA rule — verify with FSA) |
| Crop insurance required? | No |
Eligible Crops
More than 100 specialty crops are eligible. The list is broad and includes:
- Tree fruits & nuts: almonds, apples, apricots, avocados, cherries, citrus (oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit), hazelnuts, macadamia, olives, peaches, pears, pecans, pistachios, plums, pomegranates, walnuts, and others
- Small fruits & berries: blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, grapes (table, wine, raisin), kiwifruit, melons, raspberries, strawberries, watermelons
- Vegetables: asparagus, beans (snap, green), beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, lettuce, onions, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, spinach, sweet corn, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and many more
- Herbs and spices: basil, cilantro, mint, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and similar
- Floriculture & nursery: cut flowers, potted plants, woody ornamentals, sod, Christmas trees
- Other: mushrooms, coffee, cacao, maple syrup, honey (apiary), hops
- Sugar (sugar beets, sugar cane) — included in ASCF, not FBA
Notably excluded from ASCF: dry edible beans and peas (those are covered by FBA instead), plus the row crops FBA covers (corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum, barley, oats, peanuts, and others).
Step 1: Make Sure Your 2025 Acreage Is on File
ASCF pays on your FSA-578 acreage report — FSA’s record of what you planted and where. The reporting deadline was April 24, 2026. If you reported on time, your acres are set; if something looks off, talk to your county office, since your payment is calculated from those acres.
How to File
- Contact your local FSA office. Find your county office at farmers.gov/service-center-locator.
- Bring or email: maps of your 2025 plantings, field-level acreage, planting dates, and crop varieties (variety matters for some specialty crops, e.g. wine grapes vs table grapes).
- File form FSA-578 if you haven’t yet. If your 578 is filed but incomplete, correct it now.
- Confirm with FSA that your acreage is eligible for ASCF. The staff will check the crop code against the ASCF-eligible list.
This is a county-office task — there is no online acreage reporting shortcut. Call to make an appointment if your county is busy.
Step 2: Applying before the August 7, 2026 deadline
FSA published per-crop payment rates on May 29, 2026 and opened enrollment. The deadline to submit a completed application was August 7, 2026. Applications were taken online via Login.gov (from June 1) or at FSA county offices (from June 8) — the online portal is at fsa.usda.gov via Login.gov, with the same form pattern as FBA.
Rates are set by each crop’s average annual revenue per acre: Tier 1 crops can qualify for up to $650 per acre, Tier 2 up to $225, Tier 3 up to $65, and beans and peas up to $25. The payment limit is $250,000 per producer, and the standard $900,000 AGI limit applies — confirm both with FSA. Producers with 2025 acreage on file may receive a pre-filled application.
Who Qualifies
- You planted an eligible specialty crop, sugar, or other non-FBA commodity during the 2025 crop year.
- Your acreage is on file at FSA via 2025 FSA-578.
- The payment limit is $250,000 per producer, and the standard $900,000 AGI limit applies — confirm both with FSA.
- HELC/WC compliance (AD-1026) on file.
Like FBA, crop insurance and NAP are not prerequisites. Producers who grew specialty crops without any insurance are still eligible.
Interaction with Other Programs
- FBA: ASCF is specifically for crops FBA does not cover. A producer with both row crops and specialty crops can receive FBA for the row crops and ASCF for the specialty crops.
- WFRP (Whole-Farm Revenue Protection): no conflict known; ASCF does not appear to reduce WFRP indemnities.
- NAP: no conflict known; specialty crops under NAP can still receive ASCF.
- SDRP (2023–2024 disaster): different program, different years. Specialty crops damaged by 2023 or 2024 disasters may also be SDRP-eligible.
What to Do
If you applied before August 7, 2026: your local FSA county office can tell you where your application stands and whether anything else is needed.
If you grew a covered specialty crop in 2025 but did not apply: the ASCF window has closed. Ask your FSA office which other programs you may still be eligible for.
If you are not sure whether your crop qualified: FSA can confirm it. The eligible list is long, and crop-code specifics matter more than common names.
ASCF is a smaller, more specialized cousin of FBA. For specialty crop producers it covered real acres in 2025, but the enrollment window closed on August 7, 2026. If a similar bridge program is announced for a later crop year, having your acreage on file with FSA is what makes applying straightforward.
- FBA (Farmer Bridge Assistance for row crops)
- SDRP (2023–2024 Disaster Relief)
- Whole-Farm Revenue Protection
- NAP Coverage
- FSA.usda.gov official page
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